The present invention relates to retractable spout assemblies for bottles. The invention is particularly useful with respect to the retractable spout assembly described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,994, and is therefore described below with respect to that spout assembly.
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,994 describes a retractable spout assembly for application to the neck of a bottle to be closed by a cap. The assembly includes a sleeve-like housing fixedly receivable within the bottle neck, and a spout movable within the housing from a retracted position, when the housing is fixed within the bottle neck and the bottle neck closed by the cap, to an extended position projecting outwardly of the housing and the bottle neck for pouring out contents of the bottle. To make the spout automatically extendible upon removing the cap, the assembly further includes a spring biasing the spout to its extended position. Such a spring could be omitted, whereupon the spout would be manually movable to its extended position upon removal of the cap.
In either case, the retractable spout assembly further includes an air-return passageway for returning air into the bottle when its contents are being poured out through the spout.
Such a retractable spout assembly has been very favorably received by the industry and has in fact won a prestigious industrial prize in its field.